軽けい声せい

noun

neutral tone (in spoken Chinese)

Linguistic term for the neutral tone in spoken Chinese, where a syllable is pronounced with a light, unstressed pitch. Used in discussions of Chinese phonology.

• 中ちゅう国ごく語ごの軽けい声せいは、前まえの音おん節せつの声せい調ちょうによって高たかさが変かわる。

  In Chinese, the pitch of the neutral tone changes depending on the tone of the preceding syllable.